Life With The Crew

Pretty in Pink

Happy Friday morning everyone!  As I write this, the world outside is filled with green - grass, leaves, bushes, trees, ferns - a sea of green!  The red and gray squirrels have been squabbling at the feeder.  My daughter has been birding in the backyard and saw a Common Yellowthroat warbler - I'm so proud that she can accurately identify birds (and gets excited about it!)  The woodstove sat idle for two days, but was brought back into action last night and I am wearing my alpaca sweater.  I just finished listing my newest knitting project in my Etsy shop.  It is a pretty pink cardigan for toddler girls, size 2T-3T.  It is made with O-Wool's organic cotton and organic merino wool yarn, which I just love!  

And here is another dose of pink - the first Pink Lady's Slipper orchid that we found in the woods this week.  Have a great weekend!

May Beginnings

May has come in with frosty mornings, not with flowers.  The chicken water bowl had a thin skim of ice on Wednesday; tonight there is the threat of snow.  The horses are in the barn today, contentedly munching hay, out of the constant cold drizzle.  The woodstove fan is now whirring; Rainbow Valley, one of the continuations in the Anne of Green Gables series, is playing on audio.  I have a new cardigan for women in the Etsy shop (check out the listing to see the lace back!) and have a little wee one for babies on the needles now.  

The weekend weather doesn't sound too May-like either, but it will come.  I have potato leaves poking up, so that means that not all were stolen by marauders.  The garden is filled with tiny little sprouts; I can now see them without leaning over and squinting.  We spotted a Baltimore Oriole the other day, so I immediately sent my husband to the store for oranges - Orioles are supposed to love fruit.  So now in the world of vibrant green outside our window, there are strange striking glimpses of vivid orange, but so far no Orioles.  I looked in my bird record book and last year I spotted an Oriole in our yard on May 3; this year it was the 6th.  Both years, the large apple tree in the neighbors yard was in full bloom with white blossoms and that is where I saw the bird for the first time.

Whatever the weather, wherever you are, I hope that you find some joy this weekend.

 

Two New Things

I have been knitting like crazy lately, but not for myself.  There will soon be a new member in the family - the furry family that is.  As of April 1st, we will be the proud owners of a furry white/muddy pony named Kermit.  He has very kind eyes, is steady and stable, and will be the perfect match for my not so little babe to grow up with.  

Good ponies aren't free and money trees don't grow in Pennsylvania, so that is why I have begun selling my knitted items on Etsy.  My newest listing is for a 100% wool baby blanket in a pretty coral pink color with white picot trim.  The blanket is the perfect size for a baby stroller or carrier.  

The first of March is here, but it isn't quite Spring yet and it doesn't feel like it considering that this was one of our coldest weekends of the whole Winter.  But the light is longer and stronger and we know by the flurry of shedding pony hair that Spring will be here soon.

My Etsy Shop:  Warm in Wool Designs

A Bright Yellow "Chickadee" Shawl for Sale

My knitted item stack is getting pretty high in my closet and I would like to find a new home for some items.  I made this shawl with Quince & Co.'s 100% wool Chickadee yarn in a pretty butter yellow.  It is a small shawl, it works well worn bandana style around the neck.  The measurements are about 46" across and about 20" from the top to bottom point.  There are four "stripes" across the bottom.  While it is wool, it is a soft DK weight yarn, and it is slightly stretchy and a good medium weight for Spring and Fall.  It has been lightly worn.  There are no stains or tears.  We are a smoke free home.  

Asking $15 plus shipping.  Please email me at lifewiththecrew@gmail.com if interested.

A Spring Sweater for Sale

This open front cardigan is knit with 100% alpaca in a lovely moss green color - just the color for Spring!  It has the feather and fan lace pattern on the cuffs and hem.  The sleeves are 3/4 length with a slight bell shape.  I knit the light worsted weight alpaca on size 10 1/2 needles, so it is an open stockinette stitch (note that you can see the stripes of my shirt through it).  The front of the cardigan drapes to the sides.  For sizing, I am about 120 lbs, 5'5" with a size 34B bust.  The cardigan fits comfortably on my arms with a form fitting shirt underneath.  It would probably be a size Small, but on the smaller side of small!  It would fit a petite person with a smaller bust very nicely.

If you are interested in purchasing it or have any questions about it, please email me at lifewiththecrew@gmail.com.  The price is $60 plus shipping.

Naturally Warm and Cozy

I will begin this post by saying that I am not a model, I am a knitter.  I will also disclose that my photographer is six years old, so please excuse any blurriness or odd angled shots.  With that said, let me introduce my latest shawl for sale.

This shawl is knit with Quince & Co's Owl yarn, a 50/50 blend of wool and alpaca.  It is an undyed naturally colored yarn - the "Tyto" colorway.  The yarn has more texture than 100% wool - it is soft with a slight halo that I love.  Knit up in the "branching lace" pattern with a garter stitch edge, it makes a perfect shawl to squish up around your neck with a coat or to drape around your shoulders with a pretty shawl pin.  The shawl is 5 feet wide and from the center of the top to bottom is about 23".  The top is flat and the bottom is slightly rounded.

This shawl is for sale for $75.  It is brand new, straight off the needles and washed with Twig & Horn's Wool Soap.  We are a smoke free home.  Please contact me at lifewiththecrew@gmail.com if interested.